Sound and vision from Rodrigo y Gabriela and Silver Jews meet with favourable reviews.

SILVER JEWS

Silver Jew

Drag City

The word "cult" could have been invented for a band such as Silver Jews. Fronted by David Berman, and founded in 1992, the band have recorded and released albums pretty much in seclusion. Also, for many years they seldom if ever gigged. In 2006, however, Berman decided to tour the US, Europe and Israel.

Director and photographer Michael Tully, a fervent fan, accompanied Silver Jews on their inaugural live dates, documenting the shock and surprise of the new as much as Berman's personal, intimate pilgrimage. The result is a meditative piece of work about an improbably successful band. Extras include music videos and a photo slideshow.

www.dragcity.com

TONY CLAYTON-LEA

RODRIGO Y GABRIELA

Live in Japan

Rubyworks

Rodrigo y Gabriela's Mexican roots are everywhere on this live five-track DVD, a bonus accompanying a live CD, both recorded during their Tokyo debut last March. Gabriela's feminine fretwork - lithe- fingered and elastic - is the perfect foil for Rodrigo's equally intricate but more muscular chord structures.

Viking Manunderscores the duo's phenomenal evolution over the past few years, their ping-pong engagement with the audience in sharp contrast to their younger selves, hidden deep behind the shields of their guitars.

Canny camera closeups deliver dramatic backdrops, adding to the sheer blistering brilliance of this pair, and the choice of 5:1 surround sound adds further to the buzz of their live performance.

www.rubyworks.com

SIOBHÁN LONG

• Watch excerpts from Rodrigo y Gabriela's newly released Live in JapanDVD on www.irishtimes.com/theticket